WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 27, 2025) – The NFIB Research Center released an industry-specific quarterly Small Business Economic Trends survey highlighting the construction, manufacturing, retail, and services industries. According to the report, the Optimism Index across the four reported industries decreased from the previous quarter. Despite this decline, optimism in the construction, manufacturing, and services industries was higher than that of the overall business community in April. In fact, the indices for each sector, excluding retail, remain above the overall Optimism Index 51-year average of 98. Optimism among small retailers landed significantly lower than the other three highlighted industries.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 21, 2025) – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization, announced the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will be an NFIB Key Vote for the 119th Congress. NFIB sent a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives urging a vote in favor of the legislation and expressing strong support for its historic pro-Main Street policies.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 12, 2025) – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization, released new TV ads today urging Congress to prioritize making the expiring 20% Small Business Tax Deduction permanent and prevent a massive tax hike on 9 out of 10 small businesses. The TV ads are a continuation of NFIB’s multi-year campaign to make the 20% Small Business Tax Deduction permanent.

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“The DOL’s 2024 rule intensified the stress and confusion of the classification process for small business owners and independent contractors,” said Beth Milito, Vice President and Executive Director of NFIB’s Small Business Legal Center. “NFIB is pleased that the DOL will not be using the 2024 rule in their enforcement efforts, and will instead rely on a standard that provides small business owners and independent contractors the clarity they need and deserve.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 25, 2025) – NFIB filed an amicus brief in the case Katherine Chabolla v. ClassPass Inc. at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The case concerns online agreements and what visual requirements must be met for an online user’s assent to website terms and conditions to be considered an enforceable contract. NFIB’s brief urges the full Ninth Circuit to rehear the case because the panel decision conflicts with precedent and destroys what predictability small businesses used to have about how they needed to organize their websites.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 13, 2025) – The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index declined by 1.6 points in April to 95.8, the second consecutive month below the 51-year average of 98. The Uncertainty Index decreased four points from March to 92 but remained far above the historical average of 68. Seasonally adjusted, 34% of business owners reported job openings they could not fill in April, down six points from March. The last time job openings were below this level was in January 2021.

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The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index fell just below the 51-year average in March and taxes ranked as one of the single most important problems facing small business owners. The Uncertainty Index decreased eight points from February’s second highest reading to 96.

“The implementation of new policy priorities has heightened the level of uncertainty among small business owners over the past few months,” said NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg. “Small business owners have scaled back expectations on sales growth as they better understand how these rearrangements might impact them.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 7, 2025) – A new poll released today by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization, shows broad, bipartisan support for America’s small businesses along with overwhelming support for keeping the 20% Small Business Tax Deduction in the tax code.

According to the survey, more than 8 in 10 Americans feel it is important for the federal government to support small businesses, including strong majorities of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. That support translates to strong agreement (93%) that making the 20% Small Business Tax Deduction permanent should be a top priority for Congress, with nearly all Americans (95%) expressing some concern about the impact an expiration of the deduction would have.

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What it means: The PRO Act includes numerous labor laws that would harm small businesses. NFIB sent letters of opposition to protect small businesses from increased labor costs and burdensome regulations.

Our take: “The PRO Act is anti-worker, anti-free choice, and anti-small business. It includes numerous policies that are not only overwhelmingly opposed by small business owners but have also been dismissed in the courts and rejected by Congress for decades,” said Dylan Rosnick, NFIB Principal of Federal Government Relations.

Take Action: Urge your legislators to oppose the PRO Act, which would significantly harm small businesses.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 11, 2025) – The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index fell by 2.1 points in February to 100.7. This is the fourth consecutive month above the 51-year average of 98 and is 4.4 points below its most recent peak of 105.1 in December. The Uncertainty Index rose four points to 104 – the second highest recorded reading.

“Uncertainty is high and rising on Main Street, and for many reasons,” said NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg. “Those small business owners expecting better business conditions in the next six months dropped and the percent viewing the current period as a good time to expand fell, but remains well above where it was in the fall. Inflation remains a major problem, ranked second behind the top problem, labor quality.”

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What it means: Affordable health care is essential for the success of America’s small businesses. Small business owner Marcie Strouse shared with lawmakers the various ways Congress can provide relief from rising costs.
Our take: “Small businesses are paying more and getting less. Small firms pay nearly twice as much for health insurance as large businesses. Unlike large corporations, small businesses lack the bargaining power to negotiate lower premiums,” said Josselin Castillo, NFIB Principal Federal Government Relations.
Take Action: It is time for Congress to provide immediate relief for millions of Americans. Urge your elected officials to make health care more accessible and affordable to small business owners.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 26, 2025) – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization, sent a letter to Rep. Glenn Grothman (WI-06) in strong support of his legislation, the Ensuring Workers Get PAID Act. This legislation would reinstate and codify the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Payroll Audit Independent Determination (PAID) program, which provided small businesses flexibility to self-report and correct minor wage and hour violations before incurring a penalty.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 6, 2025) – NFIB’s February jobs report found that 38% (seasonally adjusted) of small business owners reported job openings they could not fill in February, up three points from January and the highest reading since August 2024. A seasonally adjusted net 15% of owners plan to create new jobs in the next three months, down three points from January.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 19, 2025) – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization, released a new health care policy paper entitled, “Addressing the Health Insurance Affordability Crisis for Small Businesses.” The findings reveal a dire prognosis for the small-group insurance market as employer-provided health coverage is becoming unsustainable for millions of small businesses and their employees. The report also highlights the top legislative solutions Congress should enact to provide relief for small businesses.

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Fewer small businesses plan to raise compensation in the coming months

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 9, 2025) – NFIB’s December jobs report found that 35% (seasonally adjusted) of small business owners reported job openings they could not fill in December, down one point from November. Seasonally adjusted, a net 29% of small business owners reported raising compensation in December, down three points from November and the lowest reading since March 2021.

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